Be Careful What You Wish ForEpilogue
by FaithInHim4ever
Summary: An epilogue to Be Careful What You Wish For.


"Be Careful What You Wish For" Epilogue

Ariel sighed as she sat next to Melody's hospital bed. She was relieved that her daughter would be coming home in a few hours, but she was also worried.

They had ended up staying over night, despite the fact that the surgery had been done over two hours ago.

Cindi thought it was best and Ariel and Eric agreed.

She had explained that they could take Melody home the next day, which would be better for her.

Melody slept off and on throughout the next few hours.

She often woke up in pain, but Ariel was able to sing her back to sleep with little trouble.

It was now nearly two the next afternoon and Ariel wanted to get Melody home as soon as possible. She knew her daughter would recover faster if she was at home.

"Hey." Eric said as he came into the room with a new change of clothes for their daughter. "Did she wake up yet?"

Ariel shook her head.

"No. Not yet. " She said. "Eric, do you think it's right for us to go back to your sister's house with Melody not feeling well?"

"What do you mean?" He asked. "She'll be fine in a few days. You heard what Cindi said."

"I know. " Ariel said. "But it's just that a part of me thinks she'll recover faster if she's at home."

"Ariel, I know your heart's in the right place." He said. "But think about it. Neal and Molly's house is twenty minutes away from here. Our house is two hours away from here."

"You're right." She said.

Just then, Cindi walked in.

"Hey." She said. "How she doing?"

"Okay." Ariel replied. "She just fell back to sleep."

"That's normal." Cindi assured her. "She'll probably sleep off and on through the night. She might have some after affects of the anesthesia, but by tomorrow, it should be completely out of her system."

"What do you mean?" Ariel asked. Having never been through surgery before, she was a little rusty on the aftermath of it.

"She might feel sick for a little." She explained. "If she doesn't want to eat until tomorrow, don't get worried. That's normal too. The key is to keep her hydrated." She said. "Give her as much juice and water as she wants."

Ariel nodded.

Just then, Melody started to stir.

Her brown eyes opened and locked with Ariel's blue ones.

"Mom?" She asked as she sucked in a breath before swallowing hard.

"Mel, it's okay." Ariel assured her. "I'm right here."

Melody shook her head as she clapped her free hand to her mouth.

Ariel got the message and put a basin in front of her while helping Melody sit up as best she could.

The next few minutes were pure torture for Melody.

"It hurts!" She cried as she tried to catch her breath in an effort to calm down.

"Shh, I know it does, Mel. " Ariel assured her. "I know. You're gonna be okay. You can't fight it though. It's the medicine they gave you that's making you feel like this. You'll be okay soon."

Melody didn't have time to answer as her stomach lurched once again.

Once it calmed, the little girl didn't want anyone but her mother and to sleep.

Ariel tried to keep her calm while singing her a few of her favorite songs.

After Melody's breathing had gone back to normal, Ariel helped her into the outfit Eric had brought for her and the two waited for him to return.

He had gone to sign the discharge papers.

While they waited, Cindi took Melody's IV out once she was able to drink some apple juice.

When they arrived back at Molly and Neal's, Ariel put Melody to bed in the room she and Eric were using for the time being. She did this so she could keep an eye on her daughter and make sure she was going to be okay.

"Mom, it hurts!" Melody whimpered as she tried to bring her knees up to her chest to stop the pain.

"I know it does, Mel. But you can't do that, sweetheart. You need to lay straight."

As much as it hurt her to see her daughter in so much pain, Ariel did what was best and helped her straighten out.

It was then that she got an idea.

"Maybe being in water would help." She suggested. "We'll make sure not to get the stitches wet, but maybe…" With that, she picked her precious Melody up and carried her to the bathroom.

Closing the door, Ariel laid Melody upon a soft blanket and started filling the tub up once again.

This time, she filled it with warm water and made a dressing over Melody's surgical sight so it wouldn't get wet.

Once the bath was ready, Ariel placed Melody in it and watched as her daughter relaxed instantly.

"Aw, is that better?" She asked knowingly.

"Yeah." Melody replied. "A little."

"I know what else might help you." She said. "But if I do this for you, you can only stay like this until the bath is over." She explained. "After it's done, I need to change you back."

Melody nodded. She appreciated what her mother was doing for her.

"All right. " With that, Ariel took her own necklace from around her neck and let its power surround her daughter.

Once Melody's familiar light purple tail replaced her legs, Ariel saw her relax even more.

The need to curl up was gone and Melody looked visibly calmer.

"Remember what I said," Ariel cautioned.

"I know." Melody assured her. "Mom, I'm really tired."

"Try and sleep." Ariel told her. "You're in the safest place you could be right now. I'm right here."

Melody took her mother's advice and was in dreamland within a few minutes of Ariel singing to her.

"Ariel?" Came Eric's concerned voice. "Where are you?"

Not wanting to wake her daughter, Ariel got up and went outside to talk to her husband.

"I'm in here." She explained. "I'll be out in a little while. I thought putting Melody in a warm bath might help her feel better."

Eric nodded.

"Did you cover her…" His voice trailed off when he saw Ariel nodded before turning back around.

"I need to get back in there with her. I'm gonna let her sleep for a little bit and then take her out."

"She fell asleep in the bathtub?" Eric asked incredulously.

Ariel nodded.

"It's the most relaxed Mel's been since the operation was over. I'm gonna let her stay in there for a little while longer."

Eric nodded. He trusted Ariel's judgment when it came to matters concerning Melody's mermaid half.

A half an hour later, Ariel decided it was time to change Melody back.

She was grateful Molly and Neal had three bathrooms in their house.

As Ariel reversed the transformation, Melody's eyes started to flutter open.

She whimpered in pain, which broke Ariel's heart.

"Shh, Melody, it's okay. I'm gonna tuck you in now and stay with you." With that, Ariel got Melody out of the tub, dried her off and put her in new pj's.

After that was done, she carried her back the room and tucked her in bed.

The minute Melody was laying down, she realized something was different right away.

The pain was back and it had returned with a vengeance.

"Mom, please! It hurts too much! Turn me back! Turn me back! Please! It really hurts!"

Ariel wished she could do that very thing, but she knew she couldn't. And it wasn't because she didn't want to.

"Mel, I'm sorry, but I can't. At least not right now."

"Please!" Melody tearfully begged.

"I can't. " Ariel repeated. "And it's not because I don't want to."

"Then why!" Melody challenged.

Rather than scold her daughter for talking back, Ariel tried to answer her question.

"Because we're not at home." Ariel told her. "If we were, I'd let you stay in your mermaid form for as long as you want. You know that. But we're not home and…"

"I don't care!" Melody protested tearfully.

"Melody…." Ariel said warningly. "Honey, I know you're not feeling good and your upset, but you still have to behave. I know you can."

Melody turned away from her mother as a painful sob escaped her lips.

"Melody, please, don't do this." Ariel pleaded. "I would do it if I could. But I can't."

Still, her daughter didn't say anything. The only sound was the occasional sob that broke Ariel's heart.

Ariel tried to stroke Melody's hair, but her daughter tried her best to move away.

Sighing heavily while trying to fight back tears, Ariel refrained from comforting her physically. Instead, she resorted to singing.

Fortunately, Melody didn't object to this. She let her mother's sweet and familiar voice lull her into a restless sleep.

Once Melody was out, Ariel kissed her cheek and told her she loved her before watching her sleep for an hour or so.

Eric brought Ariel something to eat forty-five minutes later.

When he saw his wife's expression, he grew concerned.

"Ariel, is everything okay?" He asked as he set the tray down in front of her.

Ariel shook her head as she locked her eyes with his.

"Melody isn't very happy with me right now." She told her husband.

"Why?" Eric inquired. "What happened?"

Ariel explained everything up until when she had sung Melody to sleep.

"Sweetheart," Eric consoled as he put a hand on his wife's shoulder, "Melody will be okay. She's just confused and in pain right now. She isn't really mad at you."

Ariel nodded, although she wasn't so sure herself.

As she tried to relax in her husband's embrace, she prayed that God would help her and her daughter patch things up soon. She knew she could do anything with God's help…

Later that night, Melody awoke feeling terrible. She was still in a great deal of pain. To make matters worse, she was also feeling extremely queasy.

To top it off, she was feeling guilty. She knew she had hurt her mother's feelings unintentionally and that was the last thing she wanted to do.

She thought of calling for her, but a part of her felt she didn't deserve her help after how she had treated her.

As she felt her stomach lurch, the door to the room opened and Serenity came in.

She wanted to check on her best friend and her mother had said it was okay. She didn't have to be in bed for another hour anyway.

She was about to ask Melody what she was doing awake, when she saw the position she was in.

As Serenity was about to call for Ariel, Melody frantically shook her head while covering her mouth with her right hand.

She pointed with her left to an empty basin sitting on the dresser.

Serenity got the jist and grabbed it just in time.

Sitting next to Melody, she put it in front of her while putting her arm around her best friend.

Once Melody's stomach had calmed down, Serenity spoke.

"I wanted to see if you were okay." She said. "Mom and Aunt Ariel told me what happened."

Melody nodded as she tried to catch her breath.

"Why didn't you want me to get your Mom?" Serenity asked curiously.

Melody frowned as the events from earlier came floating back to her.

"I…I don't deserve her help." She said softly.

"Why not?" Serenity asked, still confused.

"Because I hurt her." Melody replied softly. "I didn't mean to, but I did."

"Can I do anything to help?" Serenity asked.

Melody nodded.

"Don't leave." She requested. "I could use the company of my best friend."

"You got it. " Serenity said with a grin. 'I think I can do that."

Melody giggled, despite the pain it caused her. She could always count on Serenity to be there for her in a pinch.

The girls spent the next hour or so talking about Atlantica as well as the book series Molly and Neal had given Melody for her birthday.

"I can't wait to go to Atlantica with you. " Serenity said excitedly. "It sounds so awesome!"

"It is." Melody confirmed. "Believe me, it's really incredible. Krysta and you would get along really well."

Serenity nodded. She couldn't wait to meet Melody's Atlantican cousins.

When nine-thirty hit, Serenity bade Melody good night, gave her a hug and left the room.

As she was leaving the room, she bumped into Ariel. She gave her aunt a hug and Ariel returned it.

"Hey, sweetie. " Ariel greeted her. "What's up?"

Serenity shook her head.

"Nothing much. I just went to see how Melody was doing."

"Is she awake?" Ariel asked.

"The last time I checked she was." Serenity told her.

"Thanks, honey." Ariel said as she made her way to her daughter's new bedroom.

Knocking on the door, Ariel got no answer.

Figuring Melody was asleep, Ariel decided to check on her anyway.

As she pushed open the door, she heard Melody's soft voice. It sounded like she was praying, so Ariel gave her time to finish before making her presence known.

"I didn't mean to hurt Mom's feelings. I hope you can help her forgive me. I love her so much. She's the best Mom I could have asked for. I know I was wrong. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to…" Her voice trailed off as the tears started anew.

"Melody?" Ariel said softly.

"Mom?" Melody said as she turned to face her. "Ha-how long were you standing there?"

Ariel winked at her.

"Long enough." She said. "Listen, Mel, I know you didn't mean to hurt me. I know that, baby. I know you were in pain and frustrated. I forgive you, sweetheart. In fact, I never blamed you for anything."

"Ya-you didn't?" Melody asked as more tears came.

"No." Ariel replied. "Come here, Mel." With that, she took her daughter into her arms, being careful not to hurt her and hugged her close.

"I love you more than this world, Melody Noelle Coralsen. I want you to know that. That's something that's never going to change."

"I know." Melody assured her. "I love you too, Mom."

Ariel kissed Melody's cheek while putting a hand through her chestnut brown hair.

"So I hear Serenity came to visit you." Ariel said.

"Uh-huh. We talked for a little bit. She helped me too."

Ariel nodded, remembering the rinsed out bucket she had spotted when she had first walked into the room.

"Melody, why didn't you get me?" She asked. "I was awake. I was in the living room talking to Molly."

Melody shrugged as best she could for the moment.

"I…I didn't think…I didn't think I deserved your help." She admitted lowly.

"Melody, why would you think something like that?" Ariel asked.

"Because I was mean to you." Melody answered just as she felt her stomach twist once again.

"Melody, listen to me." Ariel said gently but firmly. "There isn't anything you could ever do that would make me not want to help you. I love you, sweetheart. I'm always gonna be here for-"

"Ma-Mom?" Melody said suddenly as she swallowed hard in an attempt to forestall what was to come.

Ariel didn't have to ask her what was wrong. She knew by the way her daughter was breathing and the way she had interrupted her what was going to happen.

The ordeal lasted all of five minutes, but it felt like an eternity to Melody.

Once she was done, she was in pain and just wanted Ariel to hold her.

Ariel obliged her little girl without a second thought.

When it became apparent that Melody wasn't going to get any sleep for the rest of the night unless the pain was stopped or at least stalled, Ariel did the only thing she could think of.

She carried her back to the bathroom and filled the bathtub up once again.

Once she had set Melody in, she changed her into a mermaid once again and stayed with her until she was fast asleep.

"Sweet dreams, my precious Melody." She whispered as her daughter's eyes closed. "I love you very much." With that, she stayed with her for the rest of the night.

It took Melody a while, but she was back to her normal self by the weekend, she was her self for the most part.

She was eating normally as well as running around and playing with her cousins once again.

She and Serenity spent the last few days of Melody's stay planning what they were going to do when Serenity came to visit.

Both Ariel and Eric had talked to Molly and Neal about it and the two agreed almost immediately.

This made both younger girls squeal happily until Ariel gently told them to settle down.

They tried, but it was hard. Both of them couldn't wait for the next week. It was going to be an adventure all right. One that if Melody had anything to do with it, would be an adventure that Serenity would never forget…

When the family arrived back home a few days later, Melody was happy to be back in her own house. She was excited about Serenity's upcoming visit, but she was also happy to be home.

She couldn't wait to introduce Serenity to Azara, Pearl and Cadence. She also couldn't wait to introduce her to Crysta, who was another cousin of hers. She was Aquata's eldest and one of Melody's best friends, next to Azara.

Sebastian came into the girl's room to say hi.

Melody greeted him warmly. She had really missed him a lot.

"Your mudder told me you had an eventful vacation." The crab said as he hopped onto her dresser.

Melody nodded.

She grinned as she told him what had happened during their recent trip…

THE END


End file.
